Xiaomi Mi5 vs. LeEco Le Max 2: Who’s the Budget King Now?

Xiaomi has been the King of the budget smartphone market since the time it set its foot outside China. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the best example of the company’s success, as it is one of the most desirable budget smartphones since 2015. And with its flagship Xiaomi Mi5 released a few months back, the manufacturer proved that it could churn out a quality flagship smartphone with an affordable price tag.

But as we know it, LeEco (previously known as LeTV) has also been very successful with its LeEco Le 1s, the contender to Redmi Note 3. The company has grown to fame in a very short time and is a threat to Xiaomi’s crown in the budget smartphone market. It recently launched the LeEco Le Max 2 with mammoth specs but a surprisingly affordable price.

Display: The Xiaomi Mi5 features a 5.15 inches Full HD display with a pixel density of 428 ppi, protected by Gorilla Glass 4. The LeEco Le Max 2 comes with a larger 5.7 inches Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) screen with a pixel density of 515 ppi. So obviously, the Le Max 2 has got a much better display than the Mi5.

Processor and Memory: Moving on, the Le Max 2 and the Xiaomi Mi5 both are powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 processor used in most of the latest flagships. The Mi5 comes with 3GB RAM and 32/64GB of internal storage, while the Xiaomi Mi5 Pro variant offers 4GB of RAM with 128GB internal storage. The Le Max 2 offers 32/64GB storage options for the 4GB RAM variant, while it has also got a 6GB RAM version with 64GB internal storage. Both the phones do not get microSD slots.

Camera and Battery: The Xiaomi Mi5 sports a 16 MP camera at the back with f/2.0 aperture, 4-axis OIS, PDAF, and dual-tone dual LED flash. It gets a 4MP Ultra Pixel front camera. The LeEco Le Max 2 features a 21 MP f/2.0 rear camera with PDAF, OIS, and dual tone dual LED flash, and there’s an 8MP f/2.0 selfie snapper at the front.

The Xiaomi Mi5 gets a 3000mAh battery, while the Le Max 2 gets a 3100mAh one, both non-removable.

Extras: Both the phones run Android Marshmallow out of the box and come with USB Type-C ports, fingerprint sensors, NFC, and fast charging.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi5 costs INR 24,999 (around $373) for the 3GB/32GB variant, while the higher variants can cost as much as $499, but other variants are not available in India currently. Meanwhile, the LeEco Le Max 2 has been launched in India and costs INR 22,999 ($343) for the 4GB/32GB model, while the 6GB/64GB model costs INR 29,000 ($433).

Clearly, the Le Max 2 is the better phone here. But at last, choice is subjective, and some may find the Xiaomi Mi5 more good looking than the Le Max 2. What’s your choice? Comment below.